New Layout? What would you do different?

I would avoid duckunders.   I have one now to get inside my peninsula to access my staging tracks.   

I would make the staging visible and walkin (see first item).

I would add more staging tracks.   John Armstrong said if you think you need N tracks, build 2N+1!    I want more staging.

I would not bother with the continuous run connection I have.   I have not used it in at least 5 years.    And then the only times I used was for open houses.    I would just build a point to point I think.

I would also add another town with industries to switch.   I have two towns now and some along the way.   

Interesting you bring this topic up. I am in the planning stages. My finished hvac controlled attic is 11' x26' and flares out at both ends to 16' wide.  I also have and adjoining room 14' long giving me a total of 40' length. I am torn between an around the walls layout that would give me larger curves maybe 072-090 with a duck under or lift bridge.  The smaller room would be accessed through the Sheetrock by a tunnel portal.

Or the other option of a dog bone style with 072 and 081 curves with no duck under or lift outs.  Both have their pluses and minuses, huge dog bones 7' wide eat up ton of real estate/space. I'm leaning towards an around the room with maybe a loop in the smaller room. If I do an around the room/walls I might keep it simple and go with a 36"-40" wide depth. That said I flip flop back and forth in the design. 

I want the option of continuous running for my non train or train friends that are not into switching. I would  like a yard for switching and some industry along the way. Engine service area with a turntable. My list goes on but the space is small for O given my "givens", some might say thats not small but for hi rail with big curves the space gets small fast.

And yes I want a layout that is fairly simple and not to complex, easy to access. 

I presently have 5 spurs for industries.  I think I would back down to maybe 2 or 3 and try to lengthen my mainline by having a over and under loop like this:

This plan has 6 spurs, but some of the aisles are very narrow.  Maybe eliminating a couple of spurs would help enlarge the aisles (my old garage layout had one spot that was 15" wide, not impossible to get thru but 24"-36" is better).  I would try to make all the track so I could reach it for maintenance.  I can reach 95% of my present layout without having to bend over the scenery, just 2 far corners are not within easy reach.

I would go with as large a radius as possible, maybe 096 (what size switches/turnouts would be good to use for 096?).

I've been playing with a rendition of that plan above today, but I keep cramming more stuff into it than I know I want...time to back off and go with less.

HI

 Built my layout around the wall of the basment.with a few ilands that I can walk around. with a minum radis 072 to 108  gives me all kinds room. basment is 25-50.

 plenty room to run.

i love this track plan i hope to duplicate it soon after i move into m new place

Given the amount of space I have to work with and the limitations of my train room the only option I have to add space to my layout would be to build new levels.

That being said I like my layout just the way it is now. I can operate six trains at one time and run 28 animations which makes for a fun layout. If I can figure out a way to have an elevated track that would not interfere with my accessories or amusement park rides I might be tempted to add to the layout.

Actually a lot of thought went into building the layout as I built it in sections. Each section differed as the first was flat, the second section has an elevated track and the last section has a mountain with two loops of track so that I can have trains running in opposite directions.

My layout is also a compromise with my wife who insisted on having several Dept. 56 style villages spread out over the layout. We seem to have made the compromise work as my realistic buildings and scenery blend in with her villages. It's a fun layout and thats all that really matters anyway.

Steve Tapper 

This time around, being older and not as spry, I built round-the-room with a hinged drop section entry[a lift bridge also works well] to avoid ducking under.  However compared to my recent 15x23/8x12 dismantled "island-type" layout this one is small [9x16] and far more accessible and keeps the wide 072/084/096 mainline curve arcs that I prefer. I like watching trains run.

One side is a Service Yard with engine house coaling, water, sand, diesel oil, ash and switching towers. Not an operating Yard--just for looks.

I would have used larger radius turns. My choice of engines to buy is limited by my tight turns. I also have a few hard to reach areas that have become annoying at best to work on that I would design differently. 

I might competly rethink this and go modular, around the walls. I am interested in big engines with large curves.  I can not get that from a dog bone type layout or a peninsula I am limited to 6-7' allowing for reasonable aisle width. That said I do not want a duck under, so a swing out or a lift up or lift out bridg is needed as I do not want family members crawling underneath benchwork.  Keeping it 3' wide,  I am guesstamating I could go with 090,099 or larger curves? Back to the drawing board.

I've been doing mine moduler...a table at a time.  it really limits what i can have and what i can do.  it's basically a table with a couple of loops that turns into a big reverse loop when i go to the next table.  right now, my layout is a "u" shape with a 5'x12' on one side and a 4'x6' on the other.  a small table in the middle with another loop and 1 line from the big table crossing above to the 4x6 table.  i don't have any flash at all.  basically they just run in continuous loops.  i don't build trains or even have a purpose for the trains going in the circle.  i consider it temporary.  some day, when the kids are older and if i'm still interested, i will build a big point to point from one end of the basement to the other roughly 20' x 40'.  i'll put a reverse loop on each end that can be share by as many mainlines that i can fit in.  every so often, i want to place a town along the long main lines to actually have a reason for the trains to run.  i know i want to be able to get a big mainline up quickly with the ability to bring in points of interest.  i'm also going to have to break down an buy track planning software so that i can plan the entire venture out before i start.  i've been half-a'ing it so far and i know it.

Chinatrain, how about fitting in a small low profile front town along a wall, just a thought those buildings that only take up 2-3" of depth. As for the modular I like the idea.

The track planning software for me has been a "Catch 22" I spend so much time designing on paper and the computer and trying to develop new ideas sometimes with the help of others it has limited me.  I need to start working and building the railroad rather than constantly designing on the computer I am over thinking my project way to much.

My train room is about 16 X 28. I have only been reading this site for a little over a year. I pay attentions to posts and photos of all the layouts. As well as the overall knowledge that a lot of the members have way way above mine on trains. I'm reading every day. I think with what I have learned in the past year and a half that there is probably 100 things I would have done differently. But, the most important to me where:

1. At least 3 different elevations. 1st one starting at about 20"

2. larger radius turns.

3. Be a lot more organized on wiring.

I won't bore you with a lot more. But after this winter I might just spend next year boxing up everything and start all over. My wife will probably faint.

Larry

along the wall does offer a ton of options.  and the "thin" buildings and "shallow" scenery gives you a lot of options and variety without a ton of work on scenery to cover lots of real estate that you end up when you start building dogbones/reverse loops.  end to end is the way to go except you can't kick back and watch a train run.  i've decided that to watch a train run, i will share reverse loops on each end.  so, in two or 3 feet next to the wall, i can run multiple lines.  but i am going to have to figure out how to automagically stop/start trains when another train is in the shared track area.

Good idea for the reverse loops at each end. That said an 072 reverse loop is just as big as a dog bone. The only problem with reverse loops is if you have a long train the engine hits the freight car on the way out, not a huge worry, just make it big enough to work for you.   You could go with passing sidings along your main line, park a train while the train that has come out of the reverse loop passes by. If you have tmcc or dcs its is easily done.

i run conventional (i'm cheap).  by the time I get ready to do this, i do need to get into some sort of command control.  i haven't looked into it at all yet.  i just have the opinion you can't run them both on the same track.  i just need to bite it and do it.

You can run several trains with tmcc or dcs on the same track.

Gotta have a mountain!

Recently remodeled my layout to provide depth in a small space. Base layout is 9.5 x 11.5 with a run through the closet with a subway underneath.

Have a look.

http://www.jcstudiosinc.com/Bl...=958&categoryId=

Wow Hugh... That is truly something else.  How often do you need to use the access area where the lake is for access?  That would seem like a pain to crawl under the layout.

The bark idea is really great.  Where did you get such large pieces?  Did you just go looking in the woods?  Did you coat it or treat it with anything?

Thanks for sharing!

Ron

With single mainline , I  would have added an additional passing siding on other side of layout. 

More power feeds and much better noise abatement.

Even on my small layout, I could detect areas where the power was weaker than others. That discrepancy increased as time went on.

I used Lionel FasTrack, and it was incredibly loud sitting right on top of 2" rigid foam insulation panels. If I were to use that track system again, I'd look into rubber roof membrane, carpet padding, indoor/outdoor carpeting or even felt as noise suppressors.

As for scenery, I would have allowed for more space between the track and the edges of the table. This would have allowed for deeper, more realistic scenes.

I'd build it with a double mainline and make sure the yards leads were of ample size to accommodate the building up of trains on the layout. 

prrjim, that is good advive about the staging tracks, "John Armstrong said if you think you need N tracks, build 2N+1".  I'll remember that.   Bo 

Visit my website Bo's Trains at http://www.bostrains.com

I'm quite satisfied with my layout, the best I've built yet.  But I might go modular if there is a next time.  My thinking is that it would definitely be my last venture, and modules would be easier for my heirs to get rid of. 

Also, I used to actually enjoy the sounds of the trains, but this layout can run 3 trains, and it's just too much.  I'd look into noise abatement.

Interesting comment Jumijo. 

"As for scenery, I would have allowed for more space between the track and the edges of the table. This would have allowed for deeper, more realistic scenes.

In my RR Track, I just moved my track away from the wall to accommodate buildings and scenery behind the trains.  What is optimal in a 24" or 36" run?  Closer to the front, closer to the rear, or smack dab in the middle?

hinged drop section entry[a lift bridge also works well.  Is there a special connector for the track to reconnect the track after raising/lowering the gate ? I am very new to this hobby and would perfer not to have to "duck under" every time I have problem.

Thanks

Brent

Find someone else to pay for it...  Seriously though I would make the bench work higher, the layout larger and NO duck unders.

BReece;

The lift up / drop gate track is powered by wires from the hinged end.

Now, I solidly recommend you add a Relay (Normally Open Contacts) to control the power on both sides of the section for several feet back. If the Bridge is out, the relay kills the track and keeps your engines on the track, not on the floor!

Coil power for the relay goes through a switch that is closed by the bridge being fully in place. Be sure to use a relay with contacts rated at more than the amperage your transformer can output.

Thanks, I will take your advice

Bigger basement!  I'd have Tom tee just do all the bench work...I could not approach his skills.   And far more modular.  

Even if you are only doing a 4x8, go with the widest radius you can.  O27 is OK for trolleys, but I use a minimum of O42 on the mainline.  I run mostly traditionally sized or postwar, and the 42 radius greatly improves the way a 2500 series passenger car operates on a curve. 

I have to agree with you Nick about the O42 radius on the outside or mainline track for a 4x8 layout. My layout was done in 4x8 sections and the last section included an 042 outside radius and a 031 inside track that allows two trains to run in the opposite direction from each other.

I run my longer freight cars and engines on this 042 outside track and it looks and rides much better than the 031 radius track.

Steve Tapper

You know, that is a good question to consider when in between layouts.  For me, I plan to do the following on my new layout:

Minimum 072 curves

Find a really good track system (my last layout all had K-Line 'super snap' track)  Hopefully I can find some adapter track for that brand so it's not all wasted.

I would also add a better roadbed system.  Instead of just cork on plywood, I would likely use styrofoam as a road base to cut down on noise.

I would also label all of my wires so it's less confusing when taking apart and putting together the layout, or track pieces.

Overall, I would like to strive for more realism.  Although I can appreciate a classic display layout with shiny accessories, nothing gets me going like a pair of Northerns pulling out of a mountain valley yard and into a steep grade to the summit of a high pass.

And lastly, I would also do floor to ceiling scenery so you feel like you are in the layout than around it.

-James

I would have thought more about how I could use every inch possable.

David

Garfield,

Thanks